Rope structure



ay 11, 1937. M. w. REED ET AL ROPE STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 4, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ay 11, 1937. M. w. REED ET AL ROPE STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 4, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MqLcaL/v 14 E550 and @Eugavs J Eg /900M.

, y 1937- M. w. REED r AL 2,079,874

ROPE STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 4, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NHL COL/W /4 E550 a'nd & EUGENE J EEG/800M.

Patented May 11, 1937 UNITED STATES ROPE STRUCTURE Malcolm w. Reed, Shaker Heights, om, and Eugene J. Bear-don, Worcester, Mass.

Application September 4, 1m, Serial No. 90,400

7 Claim.

This invention relates to. rope structures and. more particularly, to flat ropes made up of a plurality of integrally united rope elements.

Heretofore, composite rope structures, especial- 1y flat ropes composed of several rope elements arranged in parallelism, have been formed by employing separate sewing strands to bind the several rope elements together. In these old structures, the sewing strands necessarily cross the strands in the rope elements at various points along their lengths, thereby making high strands or points at which excessive nicking takes place on the individual strands when the ropes are operated over sheaves. Such high points not only cause excessive wear and consequent weakening of the ropes but add to the thickness of the ropes, thus rendering them stiffer or less flexible. Furthermore, when such ropes are operating over sheaves, the high points resulting from the sewing strands passing through the rope elements tend to space adjacent areas of the rope elements from the surface of the sheaves, thus reducing the area of frictional contact therebetween to cause slippage, and increasing the unit area of pressures to a maximum.

Moreover, in the old methods of sewing the rope elements together, it has been diflicult to et uniform tension on the individual strands or to construct a rope in which all strands will take the same part or equal part of the load under which the rope is working. All of these factors contribute to cause excessive wear. and strains in the rope, thereby shortening its life and impairing its efficiency and usefulness.

It is an object of the present invention to provide composite rope structures of the class describedand a novel method for fabricating the same, which will have greater flexibility and increased strength, and will be substantially unl- 40 form in cross-sectional areas throughout their lengths.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a composite rope that is integrally and permanently constructed, and which is entirely devoid of extraneous sewing, binding or tying strands or cords other than those normally comprising the constituency of the individual rope elements.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a composite fiat rope which will have an aggregate strength equal to the total strength of the number of ropes used in its constituency, and which will have flexibility in at least two directions of flexion comparable to.

that of any one of its component ropes.

A further object is the provision of a flat rope composed of rope elements of uniform diameter throughout when bound together, having a relatively smooth and regular surface. and in which the component parts will be under equal tension 6 and will receive an equal amount of the strain when the rope is working under load.

Still a further object is the provision of composite iiat rope that will lay inertly flat and which will not twist about its longitudinal axis 1 when suspended free-at one of its ends.

In providing a rope that will overcome the disadvantages of similar structures of the prior art, and which will embody. all of the meritorious features of construction and achieve the delii sideratum as set forth in the above objects, as well as other objects and advantages to be brought out hereinafter, particular attention has been given to wire robes though, obviously. the present invention is equally applicable to ropes made of 20 any material. However, inasmuch as-the field of application is, perhaps, larger inthe case of wire ropes than in the case of fiber or other ropes, this description will refer more particularly to the wireropes. although the invention 5 is not limited therto.

Ropes made in accordance with the present invention have a wide range of usefulness and, as a flat rope, may be used to advantage in elevator assemblies, as friction drive belts, as con- 30 veyer belts, as highway guard rails, and in many ways wherein steel strip. etc., is now employed.

Briefly stated, my invention contemplates the manufacture of composite ropes of wire or hemp; such as unitary, flat ropes, from a plurality of individual ropes or strands. These individual ropes or strands may be wire or fiber ropes, wire or fiber strands or, in the case of fibrous material, may even be of a size and nature so as to be properly termed yarn". However. in the 40 interests of convenience and clarity. the general term rope elements" has been adopted as a term intended to include any of the above, irrespective of the form and size of the "constituent elements.

The individual rope elements are preferab oi the same size and shape, and each is composed of strands or yarns (hereinafter called "strands") of equal size, laid together in the same manner with respect to the angle of lay, turns per foot, and relation ofparts throughout. The rope elements are secured together, after being laid in close parallelism, by passing strands from the strand lay of each to adjacent rope elements, so that inany one element one or more strands are passed out of the lay of strands to adjacent elements, thus providing an opening one strand wide in each element which is filled by the incoming strands from adjacent elements. In other words, the rope elements have several strands in common which extend from element to element, complementing the lays of each and thus serving to integrate the various parts. Inasmuch as these common strands are complementary, rather than supplementary, to the strand structures of each rope element, they lie completely within the extreme diameters thereof and do not, therefore, increase the bulk of nor disflgure such elements.

A clearer understanding of the present invention may be had by referring to the accompanying description and drawings, in which certain specific embodiments have been explained in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan of a section of flat rope composed of two rope elements, and formed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the flat rope illustrated in Figure 1, taken alon the line II-II in Figure l.

Figure 3 is, a diagrammatic plan of a section of a flat rope composed of four ropes, illustrating one form of strand arrangement.

Figure 4 is an end view of the rope shown inFigure 3 when viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic plan corresponding to that of Figure 3, showing another strand arrangement.

Figure 6 is an end view of the rope illustrated in Figure 5 corresponding to the view of Figure 4.

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic plan of a section of a flat rope illustrating still another strand arrangement, said section of rope being interrupted or broken at its right end.

Figure '7 is a view similar to that of Figure '7 and showing a continuation of the latter.

Figure 8 is an end view of the rope illustrated in Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic plan of a section of flat rope showing still another form of strand arrangement in accordance herewith.

Figure 10 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line x-x in Figure 9.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout and in'which different hatches have been adopted to distinguish between the various cross-over strands, any one hatch indicating the same strandwithin any one figure thereof.

The fiat rope illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is an embodiment of the present invention employing two rope elements A and B, each of which is identical in size, number of. strands,

and angle of lay of strands, but which are laid in the opposite directions. In other words, if the element A is made with a right-hand lay (as illustrated) element B is made with a lefthand lay, as shown. The lay of the individual strands is unimportant provided the lays of the rope elements are opposed. Thus, any righthand lay, whether "regular, Lang's, or reverse, may be paired with any left-hand lay, whether regular", Langs", or reverse: any combination of these specific types of ropes being permissible so long as the lays of the ropes are opposed.

Each rope element A and B is composed of a plurality of strands S of equal size, laid in opposite directions at the same angle. For the purpose of illustration, six strand rope elements (exclusive of center strand or core) have been adopted, although rope elements of any number of strands may be used. In this six-strand rope element construction, three strands from each element are passed to the other, whereby the strands so crossed are substituted for each other in the lay of the other rope element. Thus, the strand 2 in element A and strand 3 in element B pass from their respective elements by crossing therebetween, as at X. Strand 2, in crossing to element B, leaves an opening in the lay of element A, which is filled by strand 3 crossing from element B. The opening left by strand 3 in element B is filled by strand 2. Therefore, the lay of each element is interrupted or broken by the outgoing strands, and is immediately made whole again by the incoming strands. It will be seen that strands 3 and 2 are then given more than one complete turn about each of the elements A and B, respectively, before being crossed again, as at Y. The crossing at Y is identical with that described above relative to the crossing at X, and thereafter the cycle is repeated over and over again, throughout the length of the rope.

The identical procedure is followed relative to the remaining strands l and 4, and 5 and 6, respectively, whereby every other strand in each element is a cross-over strand which serves to bind the elements A and B integrally together. It will be observed that this arrangement makes six strands in the composite flat rope, illustrated in Figure 1, common to the strand structures or lays of each of its component rope elements.

The remaining strands S in each of the elements, which are illustrated witliout hatch in the drawings, are three in number (totaling six in the two elements), and are distributed alternately with the cross-over strands to complete the rope structure. It will be observed that these strands could likewise be crossed were it deemed desirable to do so, but it has proven more satisfactory to leave some strands wholly within one .rope element so as to keep the strand arrangement in order, and to strengthen and maintain the lay thereof.

The embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, is a flat rope having four rope elements in which any pair of adjacent rope elements is bound together by strands common to both of their lays in the same manner as is described above in connection with the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. The fiat rope of Figure 3 has four rope elements C, D, E and F. Elements C and D are bound together by the cross-over strands I and 8 which are complementary constituents of, and in common with, the strand structures of each. The rope elements D and E are held together in similar manner by the strands 9 and In, as are elements E and F by the strands H and I2. The two pairs of elements C, D and E, F are similar to the double-element structure of Figure 1, except that they have less cross-over strands. These two pairs of elements are bound together by the central strands 9 and ill to form the completed rope. Thus, the two central elements D and E have strands in common with each other (strands 9 and III), as well as In this particular embodiment, each cross-- over strand is laid barely once within an element before being passed back to the adjacent element. More or less strands could be crossed over without departing from the spirit of the invention. In this particular arrangement the cross-overs for all strands are in substantial transverse alignment, as is shown by the lines X and Y. i

i .The structure illustrated in Figures and 6 is similar to that shown in Figures 3 and 4 in that the elements G, H, J, K are paired off and bound together so that any twoadjacent elements share certain strands in common, but

differs therefrom in that the cross-overs are staggered transversely of the rope. The outer cross-overs are in line transversely of the rope, as is indicated by the line X", but the central cross-overs are effected intermediately of the outer ones, as is indicated at Y", to give the staggered arrangement.

It will be observed that this staggered arrangement permits any cross-over strand to be given substantially two complete turns within each rope element before being returned to the lay of the adiacent element. Thus, strand I3 is laid twice in element G before crossing over to element H, as is strand ll laid twice in element H before crossing over to element G, wherein it assumes the lay vacated by strand l3. Thereafter, each strand takes two turns about its respective rope; is then crossed again, etc., throughout the entire length of rope. Strands l5 and iii are similarly laid in and between elements H and J and strands l I and IB also are laid in the same manner relative to elements J and K. As is the case in the structure of Figure 3, the central elements H and J have strands in common with each other, as well as with their respective adjacent outer rope elements.

The structure of Figures '7 and 8 differs from the embodiments described hereinbefore in that the common or cross-over strands, instead of passing back and forth only between two adjacent elements, extend across, and are integral parts of the lays of, all of the elements. A clear understanding of how this is accomplished may be had by'tracing through the lays of the various elements the course of any particular strand. Inasmuch as each strand is laid into the flat rope in exactly the same manner, and since each is easily distinguished by its individual hatching, it is thought that the description may be limited,to one strand, wherefrom an understanding of the lay of all strands may be had. Strand l9 happens to be more favorably disposed within the limits of the composite view of Figure '7 for illustrative purposes than any of the other strands thereof, hence, the structure of this figure will be explained by using strand l9 as the example.

In the left-hand corner of Figure '7 a section of strand I9 is illustrated which, at this position, is at the topmost portion of a series of three consecutive lays within element L. From this position the strand passes over, as at P, to .the adjacent element M in which it is laid approximately one and one-half times, thus contributing toward binding elements L and M together. Thence, strand l9 crosses from element M to element N at Q and is laid approximately one and one-half times in the latter element,whereby it serves to bind elements M and N together. Thereafter, it passes over to element 0 at R and is laid thrice in element 0 before passing back to element N as is indicated at T. From element N, strand [9 passes back over to elements M and L, in turn, in the same manner described hereinabove, and this back and forth order is carried out throughout the entire length of the rope for strand l9, and for every other crossover strand in the entire structure.

The strand arrangement of the structure shown in Figures 7 and 7 is such as to place all crossovers in transverse alignment, although a staggered formation can be worked out if desired. Also, more or less strands may be worked into or out of the cross-over arrangement without difliculty should either become necessary or desirable.

Ropes made in accordance herewith may be made of any desired size by adding additional rope elements in the same manner as has been described in the cases of two and four-element ropes. Where the adjacent rope elements are bound together in pairs, as is the case in. Figures 3 and 5, there is no limit to the number of additional rope elements that might be added. But in the modification shown in Figures 7 and 7, there is a definite relationship between the size of the fiat rope and the number of strands per element. This is necessarily true since each element, with the exception of the non-crossing strands, is entirely composed of cross-over strands shared in common with each of the other elements. It may be said, therefore, that the size of a fiat rope generally constructed similar to that shown. in Figure 7, if constructed of maximum width, will vary directly as the number of strands in its component rope elements.

All ropes made in accordance with the present invention need not necessarily be flat. For instance, rope elements secured together in any of the ways noted above may be arranged so that the outermost elements are placed closely adjacent and lashed together by exchanging strands to form an integral, closed sleeve or hollow rope.

It will be noted that the rope structures hereof have been illustrated and described as being composed of elements whose lays run alternately opposite. There are several reasons why this particular arrangement is specified, the two more important ones being (1) to provide a flat rope entirely devoid of internal strains or intrinsic I torque when disposed in one plane, whereby the rope will not twist nor kink; (2) to maintain all strand crossings below and between those planes tangential to the greatest diameter of all of the strands; i. e., those planes defining the working faces of the rope. This insures that the working faces are smooth and regular, thus reducing wear and unit area pressures when the rope is working under load over sheaves, and maintains a natural disposition of strands within any unit length of lay whereby the. flexibility of the entire rope is approximately equal to the flexibility of any. of its component rope elements. Where these characteristics are not required or desired, a rope composed of rope elements having strands in common, but with the laysof said elements all unidirectionally disposed, may be made in a manner similar to that shown in Figand angle of lay of strands. The structure of and described hereinbefore in that the lays of all of the elements are in the same direction;

- i. e., all of the elements are either right or left laid in the same direction, irrespective of the lays of their component strands.

Each of the rope elements A, B, C, D, and E is composed of a plurality of strands S of equal size, and each is laid to the-same angle in the same direction, right lays being shown. For purposes of illustration, six-strand rope elements (exclusive of center strand or core) have been adopted, although rope elements of any number of strands may be used.

Two strands in each element are passed to the adjacent elements at the right of each. Thus in element A strands 22 and 24 pass over to element B; strands 23 and 25 in element B pass over to element C; strands 26 and 28 in element C pass over to element D; strands 21 and 29 in element D pass over to element E. Each of the cross-over strands is given approximately one-half turn in the latter elements, respectively, and then is returned to the former elements on the opposite side of the fiat rope. It should be noted that these common strands lie within an opening in the lay of each of the elements, which openings would ordinarily be filled by strands laid entirely within each of them. These openings or vacant lays are created by other crossover strands passing to adjacent elements to fill in said adjacent elements the vacant lays therein.

In any solitary element, such as element B for example, the lays occupied by cross-over strands 22, 23, 2E and 25 would normally be filled by two strands, if such element were to be used as a single rope. One of these strands would occupy the lay filled by strands 22 and 24, Figure 1, and the other strand would occupy the lay filled by strands 23 and 25. If one of these strands were passed to element C, as is indicated by strand 25 at U, the lay from that point on would be vacant. However, this vacant lay is immediately filled on the opposite side of the element by strand 23, which assumes the lay of strand 25 in element B and appears in that position as is indicated at V.

Thus it is in each element. All of the strands crossing to adjacent elements provide vacant lays that are filled by other strands crossing from the other adjacent elements, whereby any two adjacent elements are lashed together.

Strands 22 and 24 are common to the strand structure of elements A and B, as arestrands 23 and 25, 26 and. 28, and 21 and 29 common to the pairs of elements BC', C-D' and DE', respectively. Therefore, each of the central elements B, C and D have four strands each in common with their respective adjacent elements. In each case, the cross-over strands are complementary, rather than supplementary, to the strand structures of each of the elements, whereby they lie completely within the greatest diameters thereof and do not disfigure nor distort the elements, as has been described hereinbefore.

Though any number of strands may be crossed back and forth between the various elements, it is deemed desirable to maintain at least one strand between the lays of cross-over strands for the same reasons described above.

Many different strand arrangements may be adopted to accomplish the same results and to attain the advantages of the specific structure shown in Figures 9 and 10 and described herein for illustrative purposes only. The strands which cross back and forth between adjacent elements may be given several lays in each case before being' returned to the adjacent element, and many combinations are possible that will differ from this specific disclosure, but which will not depart from the spirit of this invention.

It will be observed that the cross-over strands in this last embodiment bridge straight over the valleys between the adjacent elements, instead of passing down between the elements as in the former embodiments. This construction provides that the faces of the flat rope are substantially level and regular transversely as well as longitudinallyv thereof. Such a rope is ideally adapted for use as a conveyer belt, since it will afford articles resting thereupon substantially uniform lateral support. Also, when operating over sheaves, this type of rope affords a maximum area of contact with such sheaves whereby unit area pressures are minimized. Furthermore. in this particular embodiment, it is interesting to note that no strand in the entire assembly crosses any other strandin the same lateral plane, which eliminates frictional contact and chafing between the various parts.

While we have shown and described several specific embodiments of our invention, it will be understood that we do not-wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may bev made without departing from the scope of our invention, as defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. An elongated fiexible body comprising a plurality of rope elements, each of said rope elements being composed of a plurality of strands, some of said strands being common to all of said elements and extending therebetween to bind said elements together, said common strands complementing the strand structure of each of said elements and constituting a substantial portion thereof.

2. The method of forming rope structures which comprises arranging a multiplicity of strands in groups to form a plurality of rope elements, laying said strands into rope elements, and exchanging some of said strands between a pair of said elements during the laying operation to provide vacant lays in each element, and laying said exchanged strands within said vacant lays of each element of said pair, to integrally bind said pair of elements together.

3. The method of forming rope structures which includes laying a multiplicity of strands to form a plurality of ropes having right and left lays respectively, disposing said right lay ropes alternately with said left lay ropes in close substantially parallel relationship, transferring strands between adjacent right and left lay ropes to dispose in the lays of each a strand common to the lays of both, thereby binding all of said elements together to form a unitary structure.

4. A fiat rope comprising a right lay rope and a left lay rope, each of said ropes being composed of a plurality of strands, a strand-in saidright lay rope extending over to said left lay rope, a strand in said left lay-rope extending over to said right lay rope, said strands crossing each other between said ropes and each assuming the position of the other in the strand structures of each of said ropes, respectively.

5. A flat rope comprising a pair of rope elements, each of said rope elements being composed of a plurality of strands laid in identical manner, some of said strands being common to the lays of each and complementary thereto, said common strands passing between said elements in a plane tangential to greatest diameters of both of said elements to provide a regular and level surface transversely of said flat rope and to bind said elements integrally together.

6. An elongated flexible body comprising a plurality of rope elements, each of said rope elements being composed of a plurality of strands, at

least two of said rope elements having vacant lays,

a common strand arranged within the vacant lays of each of said two rope elements to complement the strand structure and lays of each, thereby binding said rope elements together.

7. An elongated flexible body comprising a plurality of rope elements, each of said rope elements being composed of a plurality of strands, some of said rope elements having at least one vacant lay, at least one strand being common to all of said rope elements having vacant lays, said common strand occupying said vacant lays and extending between said rope elements to bind them togther, other of said strands being con fined entirely to the strand structure of each of said rope elements and laid in between said corn mon strands to position and retain the same.

MALCOLM W. REED. EUGENE J. REARDON. 

